Fair or not, many will place some of the blame for the Philadelphia Flyers’ failed 2013 season on Claude Giroux’s shoulders (when they’re not putting most of it on Ilya Bryzgalov).
Even-more-embattled Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette provided effusive praise of the 25-year-old’s first season as the team’s captain to CSNPhilly.com, however.
“I think he did a terrific job as the captain of the team,” Laviolette said. “It was a tough year for a first-year captain, and I think he did a really good job. He has terrific leadership qualities. He’s driven. He is an excellent teammate.
“I think sometimes when you’re not successful -- or not as successful as you’d like to be -- you really get to, whether you want to or not, use and try that leadership, and it becomes more in the forefront.”
GM Paul Holmgren agrees.
“Claude’s a young captain put into a situation where [there was] a 48-game schedule coming out of the lockout,” Holmgren said. “I think he performed admirably under those circumstances.”
So far, it seems like the organization is happy with Giroux, who generated exactly one point per game in 48 contests this season. With Philly’s expectations, that honeymoon might not last much longer, though.